Download and print Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's proclamation for display at your field day site

The hamfest scheduled for Saturday March 21st has been postponed.  No further details are available at this time.  Check https://k0ltc.org/midwinter-madness/ for updates as they become available.

​The January Board of Directors meeting minutes have been published. I think its important to bring you up to date on some important matters. Let's start with some good news... Our former Dakota Division Directors and Vice Directors retired at the end of the January board meeting from their First Vice President positions. Both were elected Honorary Vice Presidents. Both have ongoing active roles in amateur radio near and far. Jay Bellows, KØQB, served 22 years on the board and continues to serve as International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 (The Americas) Treasurer. Greg Widin, KØGW, served 12 years on the board and continues to serve as Chairman of the Logbook Of The World Committee (LOTW). I'm very fortunate to have two (and for a while three) mentors, sitting in the board room me, for the past four years. Jay and Greg, along with former Director Kent Olson, KAØLDG, introduced me to my fellow directors and the staff at ARRL HQ. They also brought me up to speed on prior board actions and provided historical context regarding issues being discussed by either the ARRL or IARU. Having four leaders from the Dakota Division, in the board room, at the same time, has been an experience I'll never forget. Thanks gents and thank you Vice Director Lynn Nelson for continuing to serve the Dakota Division with me. The Board of Directors held officer elections at the January board meeting. I think its important the members know the results of these elections which are conducted by secret ballot. Chief Executive Officer Dr. Howard Michel was not re-elected. 6 directors voted "yes" and 9 directors voted "no" to re-elect CEO Michel. I voted to retain Dr. Michel because I thought he was making improvements in day-to-day operations of our non-profit organization that has about 80 employees and about a 15 million dollar annual operating budget. I judge the CEO on their merits of running a non-profit organization not their CW sending speed, number of DXCC entities verified or their contest scores. My fellow board members have a considerable challenge to find our 3rd CEO in as many years. A search committee has been formed to hire a new CEO with experience running a non-profit organization, managing a large staff, enthusiasm for amateur radio, doesn’t mind New England weather and possibly paying higher state income taxes than they have experienced in their home state. Two other officer elections had two candidates each: Incumbent President Rick Roderick, K5UR, received 8 votes. Challenger, Pacific Division Director, Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, received 7 votes. New International Affairs Vice President Rod Stafford, W6ROD, received 13 votes to challenger Bruce Frahm, K0BJ, 2 votes. Elected Without Contest: First Vice President Michael Raisbeck, K1TWF Second Vice President Bob Vallio, W6RGG Interim CEO and Secretary Barry Shelley, N1VXY Treasurer Rick Niswander, K7GM Chief Financial Officer Diane Middleton, W2DLM The link to the full meeting minutes are posted at http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-board-of-directors-re-elects-president-rick-roderick-k5ur Committee reports are posted at http://www.arrl.org/committee-reports I'll serve as the Program and Services Committee Chair in 2020. Work on Capitol Hill continues. The legislative advocacy committee is working with elected leaders, and their office staff, to create new legislation to provide reasonable accommodation of Amateur Radio antennas. With the impeachment proceedings behind us, I think Washington D.C.'s focus will turn to November elections. This means the process of crafting a bill, finding a sponsor and cosponsors and getting a House committee to review the bill will likely take all year and drift in 2021. I ask each member to review the proposed HF band plan that I mentioned in my last bulletin to members. Digital mode operation has become very popular and many days digital contacts make up the majority of QSOs uploaded to Logbook Of The World (LOTW). A committee was formed to consider the needs and wants of CW, digital and phone operators when drawing up this plan. Also considered in the process were IARU regional band plans. Please file your comments, online, at http://www.arrl.org/bandplan by February 19th. Have you checked out the new ARRL magazine? "On The Air," will be published every other month and available to all members online. If you're new to amateur radio or don't feel QST has articles that most interest you, please give "On The Air" a read. When you renew your membership you can elect to receive QST or "On The Air" by mail. Remember both magazines are available to members, online, as a member benefit. The 2020 hamfest season is upon us. Check out the Division calendar at https://www.arrldakota.org/calendar.html for an event near you.

The European regulatory authority, CEPT, concluded their work in preparation for the World Radiocommunication Conference to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, 28 October to 22 November 2019.

The French have withdrawn their proposal to study the use of the amateur 2 meter band for aeronautical mobile applications.

The following is text from the IARU press release:

CEPT CPG finalises its positions for WRC-19
Published: Friday, 30 August 2019 09:31 Written by Don Beattie
​
The CEPT Conference Preparatory Group met this week in Ankara, Turkey. Items of interest to the amateur service which were finalised were:

- Agreement to a European Common Proposal (ECP) on allocating 50-52 MHz to the amateur service in Region 1 on a secondary basis with a footnote listing those countries where the amateur service will have a primary allocation in the band 50-50.5 MHz (WRC Agenda Item 1.1)

- Agreement to an ECP on spectrum to be considered for International Mobile Telecommunications, which does not now include the primary amateur band at 47-47.2 GHz (WRC Agenda Item 1.13)

- Agreement to an ECP that retains the current regulatory position in the 5725-5850 MHz frequency band which includes secondary allocations to the amateur service and the amateur-satellite service (WRC Agenda Item 1.16)

- Removal of 144-146 MHz from a French proposal for study of additional spectrum for aeronautical applications. (WRC Agenda Item 10)

- At the insistence of the European Commission, a WRC-23 agenda item was considered necessary to address the world-wide protection of Regional Navigational Satellite Systems from amateur emissions in the band 1240-1300 MHz. A draft WRC Resolution was agreed which underlines the importance of this frequency band to the amateur service and explicitly excludes the removal of existing allocations as part of the proposed agenda item. (WRC Agenda Item 10)

- There was no change to the already agreed CEPT position on Wireless Power Transmission (WRC Agenda item 9.1.6). This states that no change is needed in the Radio Regulations to address the question of operating frequency for WPT-EV, but leaves open the question of spurious emissions from WPT-EV.

Commenting on the outcome of CPG, IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ, said that the IARU team at Ankara (the only representatives of the amateur service at the meeting) had presented clear and convincing arguments for the amateur service position and he was pleased that regulators had recognised the strength of the amateur case. He expressed his thanks to everyone who had contributed to the outcome at CPG.

The issues now move to WRC in Egypt in November for final resolution. IARU will be there.

The ARRL July 2018 Board of Directors meeting minutes have been published on the league’s website.  I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of the meeting.
The Volunteer Monitoring (VM) program was announced to replace the official observer program.  The VM program was developed in response to the now smaller FCC enforcement department in an effort to identify situations that need addressing, gather suitable evidence and present the findings in a way that will potentially result in swifter responses from the FCC.  More information can be found at http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-board-adopts-volunteer-monitoring-program-official-observer-program-to-be-retired
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) is getting an overhaul.  New membership levels, training materials, and ARES Connect, an online membership database are a few of the changes.  Our three Section Emergency Coordinators have been given a copy of ARES Strategic Plan and asked to submit comments to ARRL HQ.  More information can be found at http://www.arrl.org/news/ares-continues-move-toward-enhanced-training-paperless-reporting
The ARRL Articles of Incorporation were updated to include volunteer indemnification, add “the national association for Amateur Radio” to the front page and update the Board of Directors election schedule.  The details are contained in the meeting minutes and the arrl.org website will happen soon.
The meeting agenda and minutes are on-line at http://www.arrl.org/board-meetings
The various committee reports are on-line at http://www.arrl.org/committee-reports
The Dakota Division is looking for a new Contest Advisory Committee member.  The Contest Advisory Committee was tasked with studying aspects of digital mode contests and the November ARRL Sweepstakes.  If you have an interest, please contact me directly.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer.  I look forward to visiting South Dakota members in Sioux Falls and Rapid City later this month.  The fall hamfest season is near and the Dakota Division calendar has been updated at www.arrldakota.org. Vice Director Nelson is planning to attend the RRRA hamfest and ARRL North Dakota State Convention, September 29th, in West Fargo.

​Several Dakota Division members have asked me about the final report on
our fellow amateur radio operator’s mission to Puerto Rico in 2017.  I
found it timely to read the report as we get ready for the 2018 severe
weather season.  It has many points of what went well and what we could
do better on the next large-scale deployment.  It got me thinking…
What can we do better to be prepared to serve our communities?  As you
peruse the report, think about what value you can add and changes you
can make to your local SKYWARN/ARES/AUXCOMM organization to best prepare
for the 2018 storm season.

Thank you to the “Force of 22,” who deployed to Puerto Rico, the
ARRL HQ Staff, deployment helpers in Florida and Georgia, net control
ops, corporate donors and the American Red Cross who supported the
deployment near and from afar.  It is important we support the amateur
radio operators who call the islands home.  Oscar Resto KP4RF, Puerto
Rico Section Manager, and Fred Kleber K9VV, US Virgin Islands Section
Manager, are two of the 392 ARRL members that are rebuilding their homes
and communities long after the hurricane warnings have passed.  I would
like to thank our lone member of the “Force of 22” from the Dakota
Division, Guillermo Narvaez, N0GUI, spent a good part of his deployment
in the mountains of central Puerto Rico.  I thank him for sharing his
experience with fellow Dakota Division members and his commitment to the
study of helping communities restore their economy and social well being
after disaster strikes.  With the help of the University of Minnesota,
he has provided disaster response and conducted research in several
countries around the World.

Direct link to the article:
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/ARES/2017%20Hurricane%20Season%20AAR.pdf

Link to the ARRL web site page that contains the report.  Scroll to the
bottom:
http://www.arrl.org/ares-annual-monthly-reports

n.Here's an opportunity to hear about amateur radio and emergency
response, from our lone Dakota Division representative, on the "Force of
Fifty."

The purpose of this email is to ask you to spread the word about an
interesting and timely presentation at the SEMARC March meeting on
Tuesday, March 27 at 7:00 PM at the Zion Lutheran Church in Cottage
Grove Minnesota. Directions to the Church can be found at
www.semarc.org.

The program will be offered by Dr. Guillermo Narvaez, N0GUI, of the U of
M and is entitled "Reflections on the Role Ham Radio Played in the
Recovery of Puerto Rico in the Aftermath of Hurricane Maria".

Dr. Narvaez was one of the "Force of Fifty" deployed by the ARRL and the
American Red Cross to re-establish communications on the island. He will
share his experience with the deployment, equipment and how we might
best prepare for similar eventualities throughout the U.S. and
internationally.

Members of the larger amateur community are invited to join SEMARC at
this presentation.